Former West Java Governor Ridwan “Emil” Kamil is gaining traction as a potential candidate for the Jakarta gubernatorial race, securing the backing of at least Golkar Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN).
“The key question now is whether President-elect Prabowo Subianto has a candidate and whether President Joko Widodo has one too. If they both agree on the same candidate, it will be tough for others to compete,” Nicky Fahrizal, a political analyst at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said as quoted by Katadata on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
Nicky acknowledged the mixed sentiments among residents of Bandung City, West Java, during Emil’s tenure as mayor from 2013 to 2018. He argued that one term was insufficient for Kamil to fully address the city’s challenges.
Following his mayoral stint, Kamil served as Governor of West Java from 2018 to 2023 and is now a prominent figure in talks on the 2024-2029 Jakarta govership.
“While there were shortcomings in his regional development efforts, Ridwan Kamil’s political branding is excellent, and he has a loyal support base,” Nicky said.
He highlighted Emil’s adept use of social media to frame his political career, a strategy that could benefit him in the Jakarta race.
Golkar is currently considering whether Ridwan Kamil should run for governorship in West Java or Jakarta. Party chief Airlangga Hartarto has suggested that they are still assessing Emil’s political prospects, with an announcement expected in July.
“We will continue to evaluate until July, taking into account surveys and other factors before making a decision,” Airlangga said on Monday, June 17, 2024.
Meanwhile, Zulkifli Hasan, chairman of PAN, confirmed that the Onward Indonesia Coalition of political parties supports Emil’s candidacy for the Jakarta gubernatorial election. However, his running mate has yet to be determined.
“I have proposed Ridwan Kamil for Jakarta,” Zulkifli said on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
As the political landscape shapes up, Emil’s potential bid for Jakarta governorship hinges on the crucial backing from influential political figures and the outcome of ongoing evaluations by Golkar and its allies.
Besides Ridwan Kamil, a number of names have also been tipped as candidates for the Jakarta gubernatorial race. They include former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, NasDem Party politician Ahmad Sahroni, Golkar politician Erwin Aksa and Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politicians Mardani Ali Sera and Sohibul Iman.
